Heathrow loses a million passengers

The airport today revealed that it handled 4.48 million passengers, more than a fifth down on the same month last year.

October's figures are marginally worse than the decline recorded in the three weeks after the 11 September atrocities.

The biggest single factor is the air travel boycott by Americans. Across London's three major airports, more than half a million fewer passengers crossed the North Atlantic last month, a fall of 31 per cent.

However, BAA says Heathrow is still chronically congested and the Government is expected to give the go-ahead for Terminal 5.

BAA also reported falls in passenger numbers on domestic and scheduled European flights. Gatwick recorded a total drop of 321,000, or 12 per cent, while Stansted's 20 per cent growth slowed to five per cent.